


Late Night Guests and Commitments

by EverestV



Category: Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Domestic, Delphine is overworked and tired and tries so hard, F/F, a very lovable dumb baby mess, and Cosima is a mess, and it's wonderful, she has Sylvie, they work very well together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-21 00:08:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9521987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EverestV/pseuds/EverestV
Summary: Prompt: “You broke into my apartment drunk thinking it was your friend’s house and I should call the cops but my cat kinda likes you so we’re good” AU





	

Delphine probably should have just taken the train and left her car in the lab’s garage for the night. That was becoming very apparent. But the roads were empty at this time of night and her slight swerving pattern wasn’t putting anyone other than herself at risk. After the day she had, the evening she endured, she was too exhausted to care about that isolated risk, about dozing at the wheel. Just as long as she got home. That was what mattered.

Because her headache wouldn’t stop building and every light that streaked past, streaked pinpoints of pain behind her eyes and she was tempted to just turn off her headlights completely.  _ Merde, I need to get home before I inadvertently kill myself. _

She could still hear the stringent voices from work, whining and yelling, all having issues, all needing her to solve them.  _ They're adults, professionals...well they're certainly supposed to be. And yet...  _ She rubbed at her forehead. Then ran a hand over her mouth. The edges of her lips still ached from forcing a smile for so long.

_ Maybe it's time I start pushing through, nudge my way to a higher position. Or I could just move on. There’s other labs, other...other cities...Non, non, I can’t be thinking about this right now. Just get home. Sylvie must be bored out of her mind. _

Responsibilities and an unsupervised cat and the call of her bed provided direction, it was all a matter of getting her feet and eyes to cooperate. Needless to say it took her longer than normal to get home.

Once she parked, she headed toward her building, inside, and up the stairs with weighted feet and head hung low, counting the steps. At the top of two flights, she took out her keys and—

_ Oh, the door's unlocked. Ms. Joubert must have forgotten again. Maybe I should leave a note or—  _

“—must not get out much, huh? Guess that's one of the nice things about being a cat. Staying home all the time is always nice. But don't you get bored? Oh. Hello.” Delphine stared at the strange girl on her couch, rubbing a slow hand across Sylvie’s back, eyes glazed over and smile over-easy. To the cat’s credit, she did trot over once she saw Delphine, knowing her loyalties well, but the girl on the couch didn’t move. Just kept smiling like she was greeting a guest to her house party. “You’re definitely not Sarah or Felix. Or one of their friends. Your place is too nice. Plus you’ve got a nice cat there. She was giving me company.”

“I-I’m sorry, who are you and what are you doing in my apartment?” Delphine rested her bag on the floor and bent down to pick up Sylvie, cradling the cat almost protectively.

“Oh, I like your accent. You’re French? I’m American. I’m Cosim— woah there...” The girl laughed as she stood and almost lost her balance, gripping the couch for support. “I’m Cosima Niehaus. And sorry, I must be a little high right now. I’m not usually so clumsy. Well, I am, kinda, but I can usually stand on my own two feet pretty well. Anyone ever tell you you’re really pretty, by the way? Also, you’ve got a seriously comfortable couch here. Kudos, pretty lady.”

“E-Ehm, I—” Delphine shook her head before she got distracted.  _ A little high? I can smell it from here...and in Sylvie’s fur too. How am I going to get it out of her fur? I just wanted to go to sleep when I got home... _ “Look, you’ve definitely got the wrong apartment. You need to leave now.”

“Oh, well, alright, I guess. I can go.” She stumbled forward and stuck a hand out, taking a second before realizing Delphine had her hands full with Sylvie. “Oh, right, uh,” Cosima rested a hand on Delphine’s shoulder instead. “It was nice meeting you. And you too, miss kitty. What’s her name?”

_ She’s asking like they just met and hadn’t spent god knows how long together before I interrupted. Merde, how long has she been in my apartment? _ Delphine stared as Cosima rubbed gentle knuckles across the purring cat in her arms.  _ You’d never guess this was the cat that took weeks to warm up to sweet, little Ms. Joubert. _ “Her name is Sylvie.”

Cosima laughed. “That makes sense. Because she’s kinda silver-colored.”

“Well, Sylvie is the French version of Silvia, which was my intention, but I suppose her coat color plays in nicely as well.” Delphine was ready to shift away from the girl at the first mew of protest, but the typically suspicious cat just kept purring. “She’s not usually this open to strangers. You...you must be special.”

“Hiya, Sylvie. I think you’re special too.” Cosima’s fingers danced across the cat’s fur in a seemingly random pattern, around her ears and at the base of her neck and under her chin and down her forehead to her nose. Sylvie was just eating it up. Delphine felt her shoulders slowly start to relax. “She has really pretty eyes. Kinda like yours.”

“I, ehm, thank you.” Delphine glanced up at the girl, just for a moment, tried to process how her expression could be so clear and yet so clouded, soft and child-like. “I think hers are more green than mine, though.”

Cosima turned her attention back to Sylvie. “You both have great hair too. Or fur in her case. Very soft-looking.” Her attention returned to Delphine’s face, rested there for a beat, before jumping into liveliness, like a child just remembering to be polite. “Hi. I’m Cosima.”

“Yes, you’ve said.” Delphine nodded, feeling Sylvie pause in her purring as Cosima’s hand fell away and reached forward, open and waiting.

“What’s your name? It’s nice to meet you.”

“Ehm, Delphine. Enchanté.” Shifting Sylvie to her one arm, she shook Cosima’s hand with the other. But the cat jumped down out of her reach and started winding her way around and through their legs, rubbing her back against their calves.

“Enchanté!” The girl repeated, with a hushed wonder that pierced straight through Delphine’s chest. Because now Cosima seemed happy to ignore Sylvie and keep her focus on smiling and staring at Delphine. “That’s a nice name. Do you still want me to go?”

Delphine blinked, wrapping arms around her middle and almost attempted taking a step back. “W-Well, I’m sure someone’s waiting for you. Right? Would you like me to call someone for you or maybe get you a taxi? Do you need help finding which apartment you were looking for?”

“No? I don’t think I need help, I guess I could just go back home. The train goes that way, I think. Do you know if the train goes that way?”

“The station on Front Street? I’m not sure where you need to...wait, no, it’s late. It’s very late. I don’t think the train is your safest option at this time of night.” Sylvie was purring again, apparently preferring to rub her back against Cosima’s patterned tights over Delphine’s knee-high leather boots. Delphine didn’t exactly blame her.  _ Merde, don’t think about the poor girl’s legs at a time like this. _

Cosima huffed softly, crossed her arms, and pouted. “If you say so. I guess I should start walking then. Not in these heels, though. They hurt. Ouch.” She winced as she leaned forward and grabbed Delphine’s shoulder to steady herself, starting to take off one of her shoes.

“Wait, wait, that would be worse. You’re not walking anywhere, and especially not without shoes. Put...” Delphine rested a hand over Cosima’s. “Put those back on for now.”

“Okay. For now?”

“You don’t, ehm...you have no one I can call? You mentioned a Sarah and Felix. Would they be able to come get you?”

“They don’t have a car and you said no walking. Alison is probably dead-asleep. She’d be mad if I called her and I always feel weird driving around in her soccer-mom van.”

Delphine nodded slowly and glanced down, Sylvie meeting her gaze instantly.  _ Let me guess; you approve. _ The cat just waited for a decision to be made as she tapped her tail against the toes of Cosima’s heels and sat patiently still.  _ Yes, yes, I like her too, she seems like a very warm person, very bright. But I don’t know her, she’s still a stranger, she broke into my apartment somehow, and you’re—  _ Sylvie was staring at her hard, until suddenly she blinked: very, very slowly. A kiss.  _ This is ridiculous, my cat is ridiculous. _

“Well, I suppose...” Delphine crossed her arms over her chest and pointedly avoided the gazes of the girl and the cat in front of her. “I suppose you can stay here for the night. I can drive you back to your home in the morning.”

Cosima’s eyes practically melted, softened like a dark molten metal, but her grin glowed and shone, all sparking and weightless. “Really? You want me to stay?”

“I wouldn’t mind,” Delphine said as she tried to smile back with a similar genuineness. She doubt she got anywhere close, though, the girl set high standards. “Sylvie doesn’t seem to mind either. Here, help me bring some sheets and pillows to the couch for you.”

“Hey there,” Cosima bent down to the cat’s level and took her small head in gentle hands. “Thanks for putting a good word in for me. I definitely appreciate it, girly.” Then she leaned in close and bumped their noses together. Sylvie licked Cosima’s nose in response. Delphine didn’t know whether to laugh or tear up and she was sure she did both. “Righty.” Cosima stood up and looked on the verge of mounting her hands on her hips. “Where are these blankets?”

Delphine tipped her head to one side. “Linen closet. This way.” As she started leading the way, she felt a hand wiggle into hers, delicate and lively and studded with cold, smooth rings. Delphine didn’t pull away. Just chose a few sheets and piled them in Cosima’s other arm. Then she took a pillow from her room and returned to the living room.

Her hand wasn’t released until the couch was completely set up and Cosima launched herself forward to gather Delphine in a tight hug, her nose nestling against Delphine’s collar bones. She was surprised at how automatic it felt to hug Cosima back.

“Thank you. You should probably go to sleep now. You look very tired. I bet sleeping will feel really nice. Enjoy it.” Cosima said this into her very skin, a shiver running down her spine was her only possible reply. In the corner of her eye, Delphine saw Sylvie jump up onto the back of the couch to face them: blinking very, very slowly. Several times. Delphine closed her eyes, wishing it was that easy.

“I will. Sleep well,  _ petite chiot _ .”


End file.
